


MoTM: 13 years later

by AderaReam



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Marriage of True Minds, Meet the Family, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sequel, Sequel to someone elses work, getting to know the magical world
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-03-04 18:35:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3081530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AderaReam/pseuds/AderaReam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Marriage of True Minds by Lomonaaeren. Will not make sense without the original.</p><p>Harry is the DADA professor, married to Draco Malfoy, and has three loving and lovely kids. What could spook him so badly about doing his job? Why, being forced to reconnect with his cousin, of course!<br/>I know I changed the date that students should receive their letter, but my excuse is that Hogwarts was reordered after the war and some things were bound to be different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Another Year

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lomonaaeren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lomonaaeren/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Marriage of True Minds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/393753) by [Lomonaaeren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lomonaaeren/pseuds/Lomonaaeren). 



     “...Daddy?” Draco Malfoy looked up at the door to his study where his oldest daughter, Lyra, was standing. He had been so immersed in his paperwork that he had not even noticed the sound of her knock, and he was sure that there were several, or the door opening. He looked at his daughter and frowned, she was shifting around and biting her lip.

 

    “What’s wrong?” He asked. Lyra glanced up at him through her bright blonde curls.

 

    “I’m worried about Papa.” She answered, glancing down.

 

    “Why?” Draco leaned back in his chair, curious. The wedding ring on his left hand would have alerted him if Harry were in pain or overly distressed. Lyra bounced a bit on the balls of her feet.

 

    “Did you forget what day it is?” She asked finally. Draco thought for a moment. The day before had been Harry’s birthday. Narcissa had insisted on throwing a huge party to celebrate Harry’s 35th birthday, despite his own resistance to the idea. Draco snickered to himself at the thought of his husbands face when his mother had tried to push him into having an entire ball, Malfoy style. Harry had visibly reeled backwards.

 

    “No, Narcissa, please no. I know you mean well, but I really would rather not have a party at all.” Then his husband had looked horrified at what he had said, and to whom, but Narcissa had taken it in stride instead making plans for a gathering of close friends and family in the Malfoy gardens. The entire Weasley clan had shown up, of course, with various children in tow. Many of Draco’s friends, too, had shown up, and Draco had never been able to figure out how Harry seemed to blend into both groups so seamlessly. There had been games, and presents, and toasts and some fun on their own once everyone had left and the children were put to bed.

 

    “Today is August 1st.” Draco said to his daughter, who gave him a meaningful look. Draco was confused for a moment, before his eyes widened in realization. He looked out the window to see the sun about to set, and shot out of his chair. He swung himself out from behind his desk, passed his daughter in the doorway, and bounded up the stairs three at a time with Lyra keeping pace behind him.

 

    As he raced down the hallway he barely noticed his mother and his two other children, Ruby and Alec, had come out of their rooms to follow him. Draco skidded around the corner to find the door to Harry’s office open and see his husband staring blankly out of the window. Treading carefully, Draco made his way over and gently placed a hand on his husband’s shoulder. Harry startled and looked up at him. What he saw in those green eyes made Draco feel like Harry’s occamy had bitten him. After nearly fifteen years, the uncertainty was back.

 

    Harry had left the aurors ten, almost eleven, years before, when Alec and Ruby had been born. He had been immediately invited by Mcgonagall to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and accepted just as fast. Draco had been immensely relieved.   The curse on the position had been broken and it was much less dangerous for his husband to be a teacher than a bloody auror. Harry had taken to the position like an extremely enthusiastic duck to water as they had both known he would. He had developed new teaching techniques and lesson plans and even had managed to get the ministry to let him have access to more magical creatures than Lupin had (Draco chalked that one up to Harry being Harry.) But Harry’s all time favorite part of his job was when he got the letter from the Headmistress telling him which muggleborn students he would be responsible for guiding through Diagon Alley that year.

 

    Every year on August 1st without fail, Harry would receive the letter and would rush to where ever everyone else was in the house, bouncing with excitement as if it were his Hogwarts letter he received. Draco and Narcissa had both been shocked the first time it happened. Harry had always been rather reserved, more than Draco had ever expected before they were married, and while he was always affectionate, to see him overflowing with so much joy had made Draco feel like his heart would burst. After Harry had begun teaching, he had steadily grown more sure of himself and let himself be more affectionate and cheerful. Everyone had noticed, and approved.

 

    But now, now the uncertainty was back and Draco didn't know why. However, even as he watched, the uncertainty was fading into resolve and Draco felt the pride stir in his chest for how far his husband had come.

 

    Harry looked out the window and, finally seeing how late it was, swept out of the room. Draco and the rest of the family went with him until they were down in the foyer. A house elf got Harry his cloak while he ripped off a piece of the letter, the apparition coordinates, and handed the rest to Draco. Draco thought that was odd but didn't have time to say anything before his husband pulled him into a kiss. It was soft and sweet and Harry pulled away far too soon for Draco’s liking. Shooting him an apologetic look, Harry swung his cloak over his shoulders and looked over all of them briefly with a tender smile. Then his eyes fell back on the letter in Draco’s hand.

 

    “I- I just have to see.” He stuttered, turning. “I promise we’ll talk about it when I get back.” And he was gone before anyone could say anything else. It was only then that Draco looked at the letter in his hand and realized why his husband had been acting so oddly. It was all Draco could do not to set the letter on fire before his mother got a chance to see. When she saw, Narcissa let out a growl that sounded more like a grim than a human being. Ruby, Alec, and Lyra all clamored to see the letter but didn't understand what the big deal was when they saw it. There on the letter was the name of the student Harry was supposed to meet:

Andrew Dursley.


	2. It's Not Everyday...

Dudley Dursley had an ordinary existence. He was happy that way. He was more than happy that nothing ever happen to him. Well, he wouldn’t say nothing.

 

He was driving home from his latest job, he was a plumber by trade and he made a fair amount. Enough to afford a rather nice house that reminded him of his own when he was a child before everything had changed. As he drove his mind wandered a bit. This last plumbing job had been an emergency that had needed his expertise, or else he wouldn’t have taken it. Somehow a woman had found a small owl stuck in her sink. Thankfully it was passed the garbage disposal, but odd all the same. Her daughter, who couldn’t have been much older than his son, Andrew, had been staring at him wide eyed and had taken the little owl out of his hands and sprinted up the stairs so quickly that she might never have been there at all. An odd job, to be sure. But, waiting at home was a big party he had planned for his son. Their family had been up early setting up the tables and games for all of the friends that were going to be coming. “It’s not everyday a young man turns eleven after all…” Dudley mused.

 

He nearly slammed on the breaks. “Where did I…” There was a thought, a memory in the back of his mind. A large man, a storm, a dingy cottage on a tiny rock, a pig’s tail…. “Oh.” Harry. His cousin Harry. He hadn’t thought about Harry in years, not since he had been chased from his home late at night because something was happening and it involved his cousin. Suddenly, the memories came back. All of those letter that forced them to flee the house the first time. There were so many owls in Little Whinging at that time, and nothing his dad did made a difference in the end. Harry still went off to that school with… Dudley paused. _Am I really so scared of a word?_ He thought.

 

 _Magic._ There he said it, well thought it, and nothing happened. For good measure he opened his mouth. “Magic… it’s not so bad. Just a word, besides, it did save my life.” And oh, how it did. It struck him now, how he had never even thanked his cousin. He had offered a feeble half-apology before running out the door but he had never ever actually thanked his cousin. He pulled into his driveway and sat for a moment, watching his wife set out the last of the children’s games in the front lawn. He felt a twinge of guilt, but quickly dismissed it. He couldn’t invite Harry to the party because he had no way of contacting him, and besides Harry probably wouldn’t have wanted to come anyway. Another thought rammed into him at the speed of a bullet, Maybe he couldn’t invite Harry because he was dead. But the instant he thought it, he felt that that was wrong. His cousin would have survived, he was sure of it. Shaking off thoughts of his cousin Dudley exited his car and went to see if there was something left to set up for the party.

 

Dudley let himself inside and braced for impact. Sure enough, a little blonde bundle came hurtling towards him with a shriek of “Daddy!” And launched herself into his arms. Dudley swayed a bit but kept his feet and looked down at his little girl who was giggling up at him. “Hey,little flower.” He hugged her and set her gently on the ground and watched her scramble back the way she had come. Dudley huffed a laugh and followed after her. He found himself in the kitchen where all of the food was set out, waiting to be taken outside and where his two children sat watching their mother frost the cake. Dudley let himself take in the scene.

 

Anna was, in Dudley’s possibly biased but completely correct opinion, the perfect woman. She was lovely. Her black hair usually held back in a plait, dark skin, and the deepest, most unfathomable brown, nearly black, eyes that held so much kindness and warmth, and that little bit of mystery that kept him staring for hours. She was curvy, always had been but a bit more in recent years, and was fond of all things fanciful and colorful, which explained the rather eclectic furniture and decorations around the house. He didn’t know how she managed to shove so many colors into one living room without making it look ridiculous, but he put that down to her being an interior designer and left it at that. She was the best cook that Dudley had ever met, and had a firecracker attitude that had caught him from the first. He had proposed to her after only a year of knowing her, and while to some it may have been fast, he had known that he had wanted to marry her after the third date.

 

His children, Andrew and Violet, were as different as night and day and everyone knew it. Andrew strongly resembled his mother, brown hair, dark skin and eyes, but he was calm, most of the time and showed a consideration that was extremely uncommon for a now eleven-year-old. That wasn’t to say he was unsociable, on the contrary, Andrew had plenty of friends of all ages, it was just that he was… careful in a way most boys his age, or older Dudley thought, wryly, were not.

 

Violet, on the other hand, shared her mother’s fiery personality and love of people, but that seemed to be where the similarities ended. Violet was blonde with hazel eyes and tan skin. She was a bundle of energy on the best days and getting her to sit still was something of a challenge even now. Even as he watched, Andrew was sitting in his seat, but Violet was bouncing in hers tapping her fingers on the counter to some tune only she knows and watching her mother with her thoughts who knew how many miles away.

 

Anna looked up from where she had finished with frosting the cake and saw him. “Dudley, love, could you start putting some of the food on the tables, Andy’s friends should be arriving soon.”

 

“Of course.” He agreed, giving her a peck on the cheek as he passed. He picked up one of the bowls of crisps and a vegetable platter and headed out to the back yard. Anna gave him a kiss as he passed, then turned back to the cake with a secretive smile and put the candles in. Dudley shook his head and moved to place the platters at the end of the long table they had set up before going back in for the rest. He passed by Violet and Andrew walking out with their own platters in hand and smiled fondly at them.

 

* * *

 

A few hours later the party was in full swing. After the incident with the candles (Anna had bought gag candles that didn't blow out) and the cake all of the children went to play games. Most of the adults were seated around tables in the back garden and were watching the kids run from front lawn to back lawn and those with a view kept an eye on the games in the front yard, there were also a few adults in the front yard making sure the kids were alright but they lived in a pretty safe neighborhood so no one was extremely worried. Dudley watched as Violet played with her brother and his friends Luke and Aaron. It was some game involving two balls and a set of rules that were incomprehensible to Dudley but must have made some sense because the game had been halted a few times for arguments about rule breaking. He couldn’t help but feel that something was off though. He wanted to just blame it on the memories that had cropped up earlier in the day, but no, something felt different. He looked across the table to where his parents were sitting. His father was talking loudly to one of Dudley’s coworkers, but his mother was sitting further away from his father than usual. She had a strange, pinched look about her as if she were bracing for one of Vi’s flying hugs when Violet was covered in mud and she was glancing frequently at Andrew.

 

“So, you feel it too.” Dudley jumped. He looked over at his wife who had dropped gracefully into the seat beside him.

 

“Feel what?” He asked, truly he didn’t know what he was feeling. Her eyes bored into him.

 

“Something is going to happen, love, I can feel it. She can, too.” Anna nodded to Petunia. Dudley was surprised. Anna had never really gotten on with his parents and to hear her talk about something she and his mother had in common was rare. He looked back at his mother, who was still glancing occasionally at Andy and sometimes at the sky although it was getting a bit darker, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. _What is she looking at?_ He wondered.

 

“It has something to do with Andy, doesn’t it?” Anna shrugged.

 

“It is his birthday. After all, it’s not everyday a young man turns eleven.” Dudley nearly jumped out of his skin. Anna backed up in shock. “What? What is is Dudley?” Petunia heard and was at his side in an instant.

 

“Oh my Diddykins, are you alright? You aren’t hurt are you?” His mother fretted. Dudley took a deep breath through his nose and nodded to his mother.

 

“I’m fine mum. Just startled is all.” He said truthfully. He turned to his wife.

 

“Sorry for frightening you, love.” And gave her a look that she seemed to interpret correctly because she replied.

 

“It’s alright, so, what was the emergency that you had to dash out of the house for this morning?” He breathed a sigh of thanks for safer topics and sat down to regale them all with the tales of a plumber.

 

* * *

 

It was nearly dusk before they called everyone together to watch Andrew open his presents. _I’m so glad there aren’t 37 of them_. Dudley thought, remembering his own eleventh birthday. There couldn’t have been that many things he had wanted when he was a kid, and that kind of thing had been stopped by his wife on Andrew’s very first birthday.

 

“I will not have my children be spoiled brats.” Anna had declared and thrown out a majority of the gifts his parents had bought, only keeping what was useful and a few toys for him to play with. Since then, his parents had kept the gifts to around three per birthday and Christmas per child.

 

As it was, Andrew still had fifteen presents from his guests and one from Anna and himself. Dudley was a little leery about their gift but had eventually given in. He watched with an arm around his wife as Andy opened his gifts and politely thanked each of the givers for his books, computer, video games, and puzzles. As he neared the end of his pile, Anna slipped off into the house to go retrieve their present. Andy had just finished thanking his friend Lisa for the new fantasy novels when Anna came outside carrying a large terrarium with a bow on it and set it down beside their son.

 

“Happy birthday, Andy!” Andy looked over and gasped in delight.

 

“A ball python! Oh thank you so much!” He yelled, crushing his mother into a hug. Everyone knew that Andy was fascinated with snakes and had wanted one for years. The snake was small, black and white with just the faintest dusting of yellow, and seemed a bit nervous but intrigued with its new surroundings. With that, though, the party was over and the guests began to make their goodbye’s to Andy, who was a bit preoccupied with his new pet, and began to make their ways home.

 

As Dudley was showing the last guest, other than his parents who were staying in the guest bedroom until Violet’s birthday the next week, out, the wind suddenly shifted and Dudley felt the urge to turn. When he did, he saw a figure, there on the corner under the streetlamp. As he watched, the figure, who Dudley now realized was wearing a cloak, looked around him until he seemed to settle on Dudley. The figure stood up taller and swept towards him. Dudley couldn’t move, couldn’t think. Fear flooded him. Was his cousin actually lost? Was this one of those people who had hunted him down to kill him? Was Dudley or his family next? The figure was getting closer now, but oddly, seemed to be slowing down. Dudley felt a hand on his arm and saw his wife out of the corner of his eye. She took a step forward boldly, and proclaimed.

 

“I believe we have been waiting all evening for you.” She said to the figure, who had stopped a few paces away. He, for Dudley was certain it was a man (the figure was taller than him!) turned to her and tilted his head slightly. “You should apologize for being rude.” Anna continued, tossing her head haughtily. Narrowing her eyes, she finished. “You’re late.” With that, the cloaked man threw his head back and laughed. The action caused his hood to fall back and Dudley gasped, because here was his cousin.

 

“Harry.” Dudley said, sounding strangled. Harry sobered and wiped his eyes.

 

“I like you!” Harry exclaimed, pointing at Anna. “I didn’t really think that I would like anyone here, but then I never imagined Dudley would get married,” His cousin looked him over before turning back to his wife, “or lose so much weight, you must be a good influence.”

 

“I suggest you turn around and leave if all you are going to do is insult my husband.” Anna fired back. “Really what is your problem-”

 

“No, love, it’s alright. I deserved it, and a bit more besides.” Dudley said, cutting off his wife. She narrowed her eyes at him and opened her mouth again but he held up a hand “Really, Anna, its fine and honestly I didn’t expect me to lose this much weight either.” He looked down at himself, rubbing the back of his neck. He had lost almost 200 pounds since Harry had last seen him. “And it is mostly thanks to you.” He added drawing her close. She huffed but relented and turned back to Harry.

 

“So, who are you, and why is it alright when you insult my husband?” She asked, eyebrow raised.

 

“I’m Harry, and it isn’t really, I just had to get at least one shot in.” He blushed, looking sheepish. “I’m Dudley’s cousin.”

 

“I didn’t know he had a cousin.”

 

“I can imagine I would be a bit… difficult to explain.” Harry said, amused. Dudley cut in.

 

“Not that I’m not glad to see you Harry, because I am” his cousin gave him a look “no really! I really, truly am glad to see you, but, why are you here?” He thought for a second. “And how did you find us?” Harry smirked.

 

“Those answers are one and the same, Dinky-duddykins.” Dudley could feel Anna suppressing a snort and relaxing. Harry reached into a pocket and pulled out a letter, with his son’s name on it in familiar emerald ink. “I’m here on official Hogwarts business.”


	3. An Interlude: In McGonagall's office

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minerva gets a letter, and sends one.

Minerva McGonagall was sitting in her office, watching the last of the acceptance letters be sent out for the year when a large eagle owl swooped into her office window. The owl circled her desk once, dropped off a letter then swooped back out of the window. McGonagall looked at the window bemused.

“Strange, usually Potter waits for a reply.” She mused to herself, then froze when she saw the letter. It was red. Before she could touch it, the letter exploded in a shriek.

“How dare you?!” Narcissa Malfoy’s voice screamed. “How dare you assign him that _family_.” It spat. “I thought better of you, what could you possibly mean by this? Was it just one of your half-baked Gryffindor schemes to get him to be brave out of some twisted sense of what was best for him? You are supposed to look out for him! I thought you prided yourself on looking out for all of your _cubs_ and then you do something like this! If he comes back home any worse for wear you best not change into your animagus form because I will skin you and _use your pelt as a book cover!_ ”

With that, the letter tore itself up and burst into flames on her desk, message now completed.

McGonagall stared at the small pile of ash on her desk for a long while. Then she bolted out of her seat and went over to the list of teacher assignments. She drew her finger down the list until she got to ‘Malfoy-Potter, Harry’ and breathed in sharply.

_Andrew Dursley_. She had no idea there was a magical Dursley. The list was automatic, just like the letters and she had not been keeping a very close eye on it. Minerva went back to her desk and pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey and a glass. She poured herself a generous measure before sitting down to write.

As she watched the owl leave with her letter, she hoped that Harry did not hate her too much.


	4. Confrontation on the Lawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vernon does an impressive imitation of a rainbow.

“Hogwarts… business?” Dudley asked, staring at the letter.

Harry waved it around a bit and Dudley followed it before realizing what he was doing and snapping back to himself. Harry smirked.

“Yes, Hogwarts business, but this is not a conversation to have on the front lawn.”

“Oh? Oh! Yes, of course. Let’s go inside.” Dudley led the way back towards the house towing his wife along who was watching Harry from over her shoulder. They had gotten only half way across the lawn when the door was barred by Vernon.

“No!” He roared. “I will not have it! Not in this family. You and all your other fre-”

“Stop.” Dudley’s voice was cold. He glared down at his dad, who was shocked into silence. “Do not call him a freak. Because if you call him a freak, you are doing the same to Andy. I know you love Andy.” He trailed off for a moment, looking at his father’s rapidly purpling face. “At least, you did before tonight.”

“Now wait just-”

“No, dad, I will not wait just a minute, you either love Andy or you don’t and this” he gestured to Harry and the letter “it is a part of him, a big part, and you are going to have to deal with it or leave.” Dudley state firmly. Anna hugged him and he hugged back but never took his eyes from his father.

“Petunia!” Vernon yelled. “Get the bags, we are leaving right. NOW.” Petunia looked out from around the corner of the house and said softly:

“No.” Vernon was so purple ancient royals wish they could have used the color for their cloaks.

“What do you mean, no?” He asked dangerously. Petunia came out from behind the corner and drew herself up. She stepped in front of Andrew and Violet who had come up behind her.

“I mean no, I am not leaving. Hating and fearing” here she paused before forcing the word out “magic,” Anna gasped, so did Violet “is what took my sister from me. I will not let it take my grandchildren too.” She took a deep breath “Leave if you must, but we should all go inside. We have made enough of a scene.”

Vernon spun around and stomped inside loudly, tromping up to his and Petunia’s room and grabbing his suitcase before slamming down the steps, getting his coat and hat, and leaving, slamming the door behind him. Everyone watched from the front porch as he got into the car and sped away. It was only when he turned the corner that everyone breathed.

Petunia sagged and Dudley had to catch her before she fell to the ground.

“Mum!”

“Grandma!”

“Oh, I am alright, I am alright, really but we should go inside.” She glanced over at Harry. “If I remember rightly, it is going to be a long night.”

Dudley supported his mother as they all finally made their way into the house and set her down on one of the armchairs.

“I’ll go get us all some refreshments if it is going to take as long as you say.” She turned to Harry who had taken off his cloak and was looking around the room. “Would you like anything, Mr.-” It was then Anna realized that they had never been introduced.

“Harry. Harry Malfoy-Potter. But please, just call me Harry.” Harry proffered his hand and smiled. She returned it with a slight smile of her own.

“Anna Dursley.” She shook his hand. “Call me Anna.” She gestured to her children who were now seated on the couch staring at Harry. “And they are Andrew and Violet.”

Andrew waved at Harry slightly, but Violet bounded out of her seat and grabbed Harry’s hand enthusiastically.

“Hi, I’m Violet Dursley. I’m nine.” She stated proudly. Harry smiled down at her. With one last look at Petunia, who was watching Vi like a hawk, Anna slipped away into the kitchen with Dudley in tow. She closed the door on the living room and rounded on her husband who was making up the refreshments. He looked up when he felt her stare.

“Magic?” Was all she could get out of the jumble in her mind. Dudley nodded sympathetically, pulling out some biscuits and adding them to the small tea tray.

“I know. I know it sounds absolutely daft, but there it is. My cousin is a wizard, and apparently, so is Andrew.” He turned around from the now laden tea tray to face her fully. “I can’t tell you a lot about it, Harry and I were never close” he looked down and scuffed a shoe on the tile.

Anna resolved to leave that particular story for later.

“but I can tell you it is not bad. Well” he amended “no better or worse than the person wielding it, and Harry” here he looked at the door, unseeing and when he started speaking again, his voice was unsteady, “Harry is one of the best people. He saved my life using magic, and almost got thrown out of his school for it I remember.”

“His school,” She repeated. “Hogwarts?”

“Must be. Though I wonder why they sent him and not the giant…”

“Giant!” Anna held up her hands, and took a deep breath. “I think that we all need some answers so let’s just…” She gestured to the door where they could still faintly hear Vi talking. Dudley nodded and picked up the tea tray carrying it into the other room.

Harry was now sitting in the armchair opposite Petunia apparently listening intently to Violet who was sitting on the couch as close as she could get to him. Andrew too, had gravitated towards Harry and was watching him carefully as if waiting to call him out if his attention wandered away from Violet.

Dudley set down the tea tray and sat down next to Petunia, mindful of Anna’s dislike for his mother, and Anna sat down in the middle of the couch between him and Andrew. She tapped Violet lightly on the shoulder and Violet shut up but she was still wholly focused on Harry.

“Right.” Harry cleared his throat. “Where should I begin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I have not been posting, but now that I am on Christmas break I will try to update again. Look, two chapters in one day! Thank you to all of the people who are following despite me being a despicable person who only updates every so often. I promise that I will finish this, just be patient with me please. Or don't, whichever.


	5. An Explanation, a Name, a Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to truly get the ball rolling!

 

“Grandma said something about magic?” Violet piped up, looking from Harry to Petunia and back.

“She did.” Harry acknowledged. “Petunia, can I ask how-”

“How I know?” Petunia finished for him. She looked over at Andy. “When you were a baby, and I was taking care of you for a night or so to let your parents have some time to themselves, sometimes you would laugh and all of the lights in the house would turn on.” She smiled softly at him. “Lily used to do that too, so did Harry when he was small.”

Andrew looked at her with big eyes, so did Harry.

“You never told me that.”

“I never told you much of anything, Harry.” She looked vaguely uncomfortable. “And I was awful to you besides. I know it doesn’t help anything but I am sorry.”

“You’re right” Harry looked at her, “It doesn’t help anything.”

She nodded, accepting that.

“What will help is being there this time around.” And Petunia drew herself up once again nodding at him more firmly. Dudley did the same.

“What happened the first time?” Andrew’s voice was small. He looked around at everyone and repeated, a bit more loudly, “What happened the first time?”

Anna looked up keenly at this. Petunia, Harry, and Dudley all exchanged looks before Dudley spoke.

“I never told you all about Harry, mostly because I was ashamed of how I had treated him. I had bullied him at school and at home and made his life miserable for no real reason. All I knew was that my parents did not like him, so I was not supposed to either.”

“He reminded me too much of my sister.” Petunia cut in. “Lily, my little sister, was a witch and my parents were always so excited about everything she did and was, but I wasn’t. I let my jealousy of my sister grow into anger at her child.” Petunia looked over at Harry and continued. “I don’t know what Vernon has against magical people but I think we fed off of each other. Harry was forced to do all of the chores like some sort of slave” Anna gasped “and wasn’t given a room of his own until he was almost eleven. He lived in the cupboard under the stairs in our house.”

“What? Grandma that’s not nice!” Violet cried out.

“I know Violet, but we were not very nice people. I hope that we are better now.”

“So you never told him about the magic?” 

“No,” Harry cut in. “I did not know that magic was real or that I was a wizard until my eleventh birthday when a resident of Hogwarts came and told me.” Harry smiled a bit at the memory.

“Hogwarts? What is that?” Andy asked.

“Hogwarts is a school for young witches and wizards to learn about their magic and how to control and use it. Have you ever had something happen to you that you could not explain, when you were mad or sad or scared?” Harry asked. Andy thought for a moment before he gasped.

“Kayla!” Everyone looked at him and he blushed before admitting. “I had a crush on Kayla Tracy for a while but when I tried to talk to her I got so embarrassed that I wanted to disappear. After that no one saw me for almost an hour. I thought they were joking at first but then the teacher asked me where I had been and wouldn’t believe me when I said that I had been in the classroom the entire time!”

Harry gave a low whistle.

“That is some powerful accidental magic.” Harry looked impressed so Andy gave him a tentative smile.

“What did you do, when you were my age?” Violet and Anna looked interested in this as well.

“I turned a teacher’s hair blue once when he got on to me. I accidentally flew myself on top of a school building, and…” Harry paused, looking at Dudley with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “I made the glass at a zoo exhibit disappear and released a boa constrictor, I can talk to snakes and he just wanted to go to Brazil so...” 

Dudley went pale in remembrance, Anna looked like a mystery had been uncovered, and Andy stared with wide eyes for a moment before racing out of the room. 

Harry was about to ask what he had done wrong when there was a tap at the window. Everyone jumped and looked over at where a barn owl waited patiently with a letter in it’s beak.

“Excuse me, I should get this.” Harry said, getting up and going to the window. He opened the window and took the letter from the owl before digging around in his pocket and producing an owl treat. The owl cood at him, took the treat and flew off back the way it had come. Harry opened the letter and scanned through the contents.

“Oh dear.” He said, bemused.

“What is it? Am I not really a wizard?” Andy’s voice wobble slightly. He was standing in the doorway, ball python wound loosely across his shoulders.

“Don’t ever think that. You are and always will be a wizard, it’s in your blood.” Harry said surely. “I know that it will be a lot to take in at first, it took me until after I was sorted for it to really sink in that I was a wizard, but you cannot get rid of magic, not truly.”

Andrew looked at him. Studied his face and body language for any hint of falsehood. Finally, he breathed and nodded.

“Okay, but what was the letter about?” He asked, sitting down on the couch again.

“Andy! It is rude to ask about other people’s mail.”

“It’s alright Anna, the letter was from the Headmistress of Hogwarts, apologizing for giving me this assignment and assuring me I could have a new one if I wanted. I assume my family made their displeasure at my being here clear to her.” He chuckled a bit.

“Because of…” Anna made a gesture. Harry nodded.

“Yes, because of my childhood. So, who do we have here?” He said, turning to Andy’s snake and effectively closing the topic.

“I was hoping you could tell me what her name is, since you speak snake.” Andy said. 

“How thoughtful, most people don’t realize that snakes already have names.” Harry said approvingly and turned to the python.

“ _ What is your name little one?”  _ Harry hissed. Everyone in the room seemed to startle. Including the snake. She looked him over, flicking her tongue out to smell him before replying.

“ _ I am called Sarai, young snake-lord.” _ She gave him a small nod that was more of a bow before resting back on Andy’s shoulder.

“She says her name is Sarai.” Harry told Andy.

“Okay.” Andy looked a little thunderstruck. Harry laughed lightly and sat back in his chair.

“Not that this is not fun, but we really should get to the practical part of the evening.” Harry said. Anna sat up straight at that.

“Yes, I believe so. Harry, my first question is one you probably hear a lot but I have to know, is he going to be safe at this school? Are there wizard communities where he can go and socialize? What will he be learning, can he show us?”

“All very good questions. The school is much safer than it was when I was there” Harry laughed a bit hollowly at that “But the wizarding world is no more or less dangerous than the muggle one.”

“Muggle?”

“Yes. You call us wizards, we call you nonmagical people muggles.” Violet giggled a bit.

“That sounds silly.” She said, Harry smiled at her.

“Yes, I suppose it does. And yes, Anna, there are wizard communities and places to socialize, the school has a small town near it that students older than thirteen can go to on certain weekends and hang out. Its called Hogsmeade. He’ll be learning many different types of magic from all of his professors but students are not technically allowed to use magic outside of school until they turn seventeen.”

“Why seventeen?” Andy asked.

“Because that is when a wizard or witch becomes an adult, and the trace, which is a magical signal that the ministry uses to track all underage magic, is removed.”

“They track our children?” Anna exclaimed, appalled. Harry held out his hands.

“It is to make sure that they don’t hurt anyone or accidentally reveal the magical world to muggles.” He explained.

“Wizards under seventeen are officially still in training and may not have the control an adult would. And there is a thing called the Statute of Secrecy that keeps muggle from knowing about magic. You all are allowed to know because you are the family of a wizard but no one else is.” At this he looked at Violet. 

She looked back at him solemnly and did a locking motion in front of her lips, tossing away the imaginary key. He smiled at her and ruffled her hair, she giggled.

“You said technically.” Andrew pointed out. Harry smiled a bit. His little cousin was quick.

“Yes, I did. See the trace is not that specific, so if you are in a magical household they cannot really tell if the person using magic is underage. That and now there is a family visitation week at the end of October so that parents can go around with their children and see what they are learning in all of their classes and how they are getting on at school with extracurriculars and other things.” Anna and Petunia perked up at that.

“Family visitation week? They didn’t have that when Lily was in school.”

“No, or me. It’s new, a friend of mine suggested it, to get the muggle family members more involved in the wizarding community. You can come for a few days or the whole week if you like.”

“Are you a professor Mr. Harry?” Violet asked.

“I am.” He turned to Andrew. “While at Hogwarts I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I will teach you about dark magic and dark creatures and how to protect yourself from it.” Andrew looked at him with big eyes, so Harry tried to smile a bit. “It is a very serious subject, because not all wizards are good people, but I try to make it as fun as I can.”

“That sounds like a very useful class to have.” Anna commented. “What other classes will he have?”

“And what is this about sorting?” Dudley threw in. Harry smiled a bit at his cousin trying.

“He’ll have classes in potions making and astronomy, herbology which is the study of magical plants, flying lessons--”

“Wizards can fly?” Andy cried out, amazed.

“Well, we use broomsticks.” Harry said. The rest of the room looked dumbfounded so he continued. “Transfiguration which is the magic of changing one thing into something else, Charms, and History of Magic.”

“I like history.” Andy said. Harry grimaced. 

“I hope that’s true because you will learn nothing in that class.”

“Why not get a new teacher? Will the old one just not retire?” Anna asked.

“No, he refuses to quit teaching and we cannot really do anything about it because he’s dead.”

“My teacher is a zombie?” Andrew screeched.

“No, he’s a ghost. I don’t think zombies actually exist.” Harry said, like that made it any better.

“Okay. So are you saying that my other teachers might be magical creatures?”

“What’s wrong with magical creatures?” Harry asked, affronted. “Some of my best friends were magical creatures.”

“...were?” Dudley asked. Harry winced.

“Were. Well, at least one was. My godson is part werewolf and his father was a full one and one of the best men I have ever known. I also had a friend who was a house elf. Dobby.” Harry looked sad at that, but shook himself out of it a moment later. “The Hogwarts groundskeeper is a half-giant named Hagrid, he’s the one who told me about Hogwarts, and I have friends who are centaurs and magical species of snake.” Harry finished proudly.

“Okay then. So what is this about sorting?” Dudley asked again.

“Oh, sorting. Well you see while you are at Hogwarts you will be in one of four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. They will be like your family away from home, you’ll go to class with them, eat with them, sleep with them. There is a bit of a rivalry between the houses as you can earn points for your house by doing well in classes. The house with the most points at the end of the year wins!”

“But, how are you sorted?” Andy prodded. Harry bit back a smirk.

“That’s a secret until you get to Hogwarts.” He said, eyes glinting mischievously. “Oh, I realize that I never gave you your letter!” He exclaimed, pulling it out of his robe and giving it to Andrew.

Andrew opened it carefully and read the contents.

“Where am I supposed to get all of this stuff for my classes?” He asked, gesturing at the list.

“I will take you to Diagon Alley to buy all of your school supplies, it’s the wizarding part of London.” He explained. Anna had taken the list and was looking it over.

“Do wizards take credit cards? or is your money different?”

“Wizard money is different, but I’ll help you manage it. First year muggleborns have their supplies paid for by the school and I’ll help you set up an account with Gringotts, the wizard bank, so that you can exchange muggle money for wizard money.”

“Wizards have banks?” Violet asked.

“Yes, we do.” He leaned close to her “It’s much more convenient than a tower.” She giggled.

“You know, I really do like all of you.” Harry mused. “If it’s alright with you I’d like to take you shopping for your Hogwarts supplies at the same time as my own family and see how well we all get along.”

“But I thought that they didn’t like us?” Andy said.

“They don’t know you, they just know what my childhood was like I think once they meet you they’ll be fine. You having a snake will help.” Harry assured him.

“Why?”

“This goes back to sorting again. They were all in Slytherin, the house that values ambition, cunning, and fraternity. Their head of house is Professor Slughorn who teaches potions. Slytherin’s animal is a snake.” 

“Oh, what house were you in?” Andy asked.

“I was a Gryffindor. Our animal is the lion, and we value courage, daring, and chivalry. My friend Neville, the Herbology professor, is the head of house so if you are in Gryffindor he’ll be the one you talk to about any problems with the house or your classmates.”

Just then the clock on the wall chimed eleven. 

“Oh, wow, it’s late. I should be getting home. How about I come pick you all up to go shopping at the end of the week?” Everyone nodded in agreement. “Good, and Andy” He said, turning to the young wizard. “It is your birthday, right?” 

Andy nodded. Harry smiled.

“So I’ll give you part one of your gift now.” 

“Oh no you don’t have… to…” Andrew trailed off, his eyes going wide as Harry pulled out a wallet and shoved his whole arm into it. Harry looked over at him and flashed him a smile and a wink before going back to digging around.

“Oh! I think I have it…” He said pulling out a thick book. “Here we are.” He handed it to Andy who took it carefully. 

“Hogwarts: a History.” Andy read. “This wasn’t on my list.” He looked up at Harry.

“No, it wasn’t but I thought it would be a useful reference to have for any questions you may have during the week.” Andy looked at the book, a bit intimidated.

“You don’t have to read the whole thing tonight.” Harry laughed. “Read from about chapter 22 on, that will give you some background to the workings of the school and some recent wizarding history.” Andy looked much more relieved.

“Thank you Mr. Harry, I mean Professor.” Harry laughed again and ruffled Andy’s hair.

“Harry is fine while you aren’t in class.” He said standing and picking up his cloak. “Well I really must be getting home. I’ll see you at the end of the week.” He winked at them all and spun around. There was a loud  _ crack! _ and then he was gone.

“Well.” Said Anna after a prolonged moment of silence. I think it is time for all of us to be going to bed. Violet and Andy fussed a bit but let themselves be herded up the stairs to their rooms. All of the Dursleys said a quiet goodnight to each other and laid back in bed, thinking, until they finally fell into sleep.


	6. An Interlude: Discussions in Malfoy-Potter Manor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which decisions are made and plans are hatched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long, and the chapter is so short, but I should have more time to write soon! Thank you for all of you comments, kudos, and patience! I will try to update this and my other works more frequently.

“What?” Harry asked innocently, looking at the incredulous faces of his husband and mother. “I have to take Andrew shopping anyway, so we might as well get it all done at once.” He shrugged. Draco looked like he was struggling to keep from strangling Harry before he finally sighed and put a hand over his eyes.

“You’re up to something.” He said eventually. “And I demand to know what.”

“Look, I know that you don’t like what they did back then, and I don’t either” he said quickly when it appeared Draco was going to say something, “But they have apologized for it and really look like they are willing to try for Andy… well, Dudley, Anna, and Petunia are. Vernon left.”

“Good.” Narcissa hissed. “No child should be brutalized by their own family.”

“And he isn’t.” Harry assured. “Vernon left and to all appearances isn’t coming back.” Draco looked like he was going to say something again, but Harry continued. “The family took it rather well and I think we’ll all get along. I really want to try, for Andy’s sake and my own.” He looked at them both, beseeching. “I want to know my little cousins and they deserve to have more help than I got when being introduced to the wizarding world.” 

When faced with Harry’s puppy eyes Narcissa and Draco’s resolve shattered like cheap glass. They both sighed.

“Fine. We’ll play nice and see how it goes,” Draco said.

“But if they so much as hint at not being as supporting as you think they are, I am filing to adopt that child away from them,” Narcissa declared.

“By all means,” Harry replied, spreading his hands in a placating gesture, “do what you think you must.” He got a glint in his eye that Draco knew all too well, and Draco sat forward in anticipation.

“What did you do?”

“It’s more what I didn’t do.” Harry smirked. “I neglected to mention to the Dursleys anything about our family, so you could have a bit of fun... if you wanted.”

“You didn’t tell them you were married to a man, you mean?” Draco got where this was headed.

“It didn’t come up?” Harry shrugged. “I was thinking about portkeying all of them outside the Leaky Cauldron, so we could all meet up for lunch.” 

Draco and Narcissa shared a look and a small smile.

“We can definitely do that.”


	7. The Wonderful Thing About Wizards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy bounces and some heavy topics are discussed. Some light ones are mentioned.

If Dudley Dursley did not know any better, he would have believed that Harry had placed a spell on his son. Now that Dudley was older he realized that the nonsense that Harry spouted when he was small was just a trick to get him to leave him alone, and a rather clever one he had to admit, but he was seriously considering magic as the source of  _ this. _

This was Andy doing an incredible impression of his younger sister. By which he meant that his quiet and careful son was  _ bouncing. _ He was also chattering incessantly about all that he was reading in  _ Hogwarts: A History _ although that part was rather fascinating as Dudley had never had a chance to learn, well had never wanted to learn, about the magical world. He was determined to fix that now, for his own sake.

“Hogwarts is in Scotland and we get there by train. There is a magical barrier to the platform so that muggles can’t see it but don’t worry because Harry will show us where it is because he is our assigned teacher.” Andy said at breakfast on Tuesday.

“What do you mean assigned teacher, sweetums?” Petunia asked, passing Anna the syrup for her pancakes. That was another thing, Petunia had come to live with them permanently after Vernon left. Anna seemed to have softened to her mother-in-law considerably since she stood up to Vernon.

“I mean that since I am a muggleborn, a wizard without wizard parents, that means that we as a family have a staff member of Hogwarts or a volunteer wizard to show us around the magical parts of cities and help us figure out how things work. He will be a resource for us to use until I come of age and can do it on my own.” Andy was quoting his book, Dudley was certain of it. 

“Oh, well that is useful. You know, they did not have that when Lily went to school, not really. The nasty Snape boy-”

“Mother!” Dudley reprimanded.

“I am not referring to him as a wizard but as a person. There can be mean wizards too you know. He was always rude to me, and one year Lily came home and absolutely refused to have anything to do with him. He must have been rude to her too.” Petunia sniffed. Dudley was almost in awe, he had never heard his mother talk about her sister so much. “Anyway, that boy was Lily’s guide to all things magical back when she went to school. It is a testament to her character that she did not return from school hating all of us.” Everyone tactfully refrained from pointing out what that said about Petunia.

“Did you learn any more about your classes?” Anna asked between bites. Andy nodded.

“Yeah. Harry was telling the truth that History of Magic is taught by a ghost. Oh, and his job as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was cursed.”

“What do you mean cursed?” Dudley asked, intrigued.

“I mean that it was actually cursed! A dark wizard cursed the position so that no one could hold it for more than a year. This same dark wizard was apparently the cause of the most recent Wizarding Wars, but the book does not give his name.” Andy pouted at the supposed oversight. Dudley and Petunia froze. Locking eyes they had a silent conversation as the both lowered their cutlery to the table.

_ “What should we do?” _

_ “I don’t know, I don’t want to tell my son about it.” _

_ “But Harry was involved, there might be fallout that would affect Andrew.” _

_ “I know, but he idolizes Harry, I can’t just tell him his newfound wizard mentor was in a war at seventeen!” _

_ “...” _

_ “...” _

“There is a lot of information about the final battle of the last Wizarding War at the end of the book.” Both adults snapped their attention back to the young wizard at the table. He seemed more solemn. “There was a big battle, and a lot of the castle had to be rebuilt. The book talks about the improvements that were made. On the grounds there is the grave of the last Headmaster, Dumbledore, as well as a monument on the grounds to all of the fallen wizards who fought in the battle. The book had a list of their names and years. The majority were sixth and seventh years, but there were a few underclassmen, the book noted that those were some of the ones who sneaked back in to aid the fight. The monument is supposed to be beautiful. I want to see it, the book doesn’t have any pictures of it.” Everyone was silent. Even Violet. Dudley looked to his wife only to see her covering her mouth in horror, her eyes welling with tears. Dudley felt much the same. 

“So much horror, so much pain, and none of us ever knew.” Petunia said, quiet. Violet got down off of her seat and walked around the table to her grandmother, giving her a tight hug. Petunia hugged her back.

“Wait, you were there for it?” Andy asked. Petunia and Dudley glanced at each other.

“... on the list of the dead, was there a boy named Cedric?” Dudley finally asked.

“... no, not on the final battle list.” Dudley cursed himself for forgetting, that had come earlier. He panicked. “But I have heard that name before, I remember reading it…” Andy got up from the table and ran upstairs, returning a moment later with the massive tome. Quickly flipping through the pages he finally slammed his hand down on one. “Here it is! The Tri-Wizard Tournament!”

“The what?” Anna asked. Andy looked up at his mother.

“The Tri-Wizard Tournament. It was an ancient tournament that was created between the three major European magical schools: Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beaubaton. It had been banned for years before it was briefly reinstated. It was banned because people often died or were injured trying to complete the tasks. It was reinstated for one year, but the competition that year was a weird one.”

“How so?” Dudley did not like where this was going, but he was too curious to stop it.

“The Goblet of Fire, which is a magical artifact that chooses the competitors, chose four people instead of three that year, and because the goblet chose them they had to compete. Cedric Diggory was one of the competitors chosen, he was chosen for Hogwarts, but another competitor was chosen from Hogwarts as well. The last task of the tournament was a magical maze with the goblet in the center, the first person to get to the goblet won. However, both of the Hogwarts competitors got there at the same time, they decided to win together, but the goblet was turned into something called a port-key, which is a sort of teleportation device, and they were whisked away. When they came back Diggory was dead and the other competitor was screaming about the Dark Wizard returning. No one believed him.” Andy finished sadly.

Dudley sat back in shock. All of those times he had teased Harry for his nightmares. He had watched a friend and schoolmate be murdered in front of him! And still he saved Dudley from that shadow thing.

“Dad, how did you know about Cedric Diggory?” Andy looked up at him with big eyes. Dudley could almost see the wheels turning in his son’s head, see the suspicion growing in his eyes. Hesitantly, he choked out:

“Andy, you shouldn’t bring this up, but I think… no, I know that Harry was that other Hogwarts competitor.” Anna and Andy both gasped out in shock.

“But when this happened, he would have been, what around fifteen?”

“He was fourteen.” Dudley admitted.

“So, wait, was he… he was in the final battle, wasn’t he.” It was not really a question. Dudley answered anyway, he was not going to keep anymore secrets from his family if he could help it. He hoped Harry would forgive him, but he knew Andrew would learn soon enough.

“I think he was more involved in the final battle than anyone truly knew.”  Everyone was silent for a long time, digesting the information.

“...Mama, are you going to eat your pancakes?” Violet asked softly. Anna looked at her daughter for a long moment. Her face twitched slightly before she broke out into raucous laughter. Dudley and Petunia followed a moment later, as did Andy. Violet pouted. “What? It’s an actual question.” Anna, still giggling slid one of her remaining pancakes onto Violet’s plate. The young girl squealed happily and raced back to her chair to continue eating. Eventually, everyone settled back into a comfortable breakfast, grateful for the end of the grief.

 

For the rest of the week, the trickle of wizardly knowledge steadily increased, although none of it was as heavy as that morning. Everyone asked Andy questions about what he had read and he had taken to carrying his book around with him so that he could look up the answers. They were hampered a bit because the book was only about the school, but it had plenty of information to keep Andy and the rest of them occupied. 

All of them were feeling the excitement and the tension as Saturday finally drew nearer. Petunia was worried about how they should dress, but Dudley soothed her by reminding her that Harry still wore a jumper and trainers, even if it was paired with a cloak.

“We’ll be fine mum.” He said. “They are just people, and they know to expect some people dressed like us.” Anna was more worried about any cultural differences.

“What if I extend my hand for a handshake and they consider that rude or something! I wish Harry had given us a guidebook on wizard culture.”

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s that much different from our own, love.” Dudley said. “Harry never seemed that much different when he came back from school except for the fact that he looked stronger, and healthier, and never really watched the telly, but that part could have been more us than him.” He finished, sheepish.

“Do you think everyone will have a cat?” Violet asked seriously, Andy from where he was on the other side of the room petting Sarai, held her closer at the thought of a cat getting to his precious python.

“Well, Harry did not have a cat.” Dudley replied. Violet looked heart broken. “But he did have an owl.” Joy lit her features and she spent the rest of the day pretending to be an owl, hooting at everyone and flapping her arms as she ‘flew’.

When Saturday finally arrived, everyone was up early. They had a light breakfast and sat in the living room, watching the telly and waiting for harry to show up. Right when the clock struck eleven there was a loud  _ crack _ like a car backfiring and Harry was standing in the middle of the room wearing some sort of robe, holding a long, sort of grotty scarf, and grinning .

“Well then Dursley family, shall we away?”


End file.
